In choosing a vehicle from this batch to preserve, The SELNEC
Preservation Society concentrated on 1700, as this was the first of this batch, and
effectively, was SELNEC/GMT's first ever Minibus, delivered new to the SELNEC PTE on 1st
November 1972. Along with three other vehicles, 1703, 1705 and 1707, 1700 after being sold
to Greater Glasgow on 29th April 1978 ran for some time for this organisation. Its legal
ownership changed to Strathclyde PTE on 4th June 1982 on the renaming of Greater Glasgow,
until being withdrawn in 1986 before being sold to Strathclyde Social Services Department.
The SELNEC Preservation Society managed to purchase 1700 for preservation on 1st July
1989. Arrangements went on for some time, but it was eventually brought back to
Manchester, for the first time after 13 years of absence, on 29th March 1991.

1700

BATCH:

1700 - 1703

(YDB 453L)

BODY:

Seddon DP25F

CHASSIS:

Seddon Pennine
Mk IV/236

FIRST REGISTERED:

1st November
1972

PURCHASED:

1st July 1989

DETAILS:

SELNEC/GMT's
first ever minibus, which has small windows and a single wheel rear axle.

Some time ago, one of
our members and self-employed body builder, Jason Hartley had stored in our
premises in Wigan a vehicle of similar design to 1700 being the last of the ten
of these vehicles delivered to Edinburgh in 1972, some of which ran on loan to
SELNEC in Bolton with Northern flashes. The batch was 102-105 (BWS 102L - BWS
105L) and 106-111 (CFS 106L to CFS 111L). 111 had been returned from Scotland in
a particularly poor condition some years ago by Jason Hartley who had undertaken
some work stripping away damaged bodywork and had started to undertake
structural repairs to the front end of the vehicle over recent years, but had
made little progress due to other activities having a greater call upon his
time. Therefore he decided to abandon the project. We initially felt that we
ought to offer this vehicle to a preservation group in Edinburgh but we were
conscious that its condition would be such that it would be very difficult to
move and because one of the batch is already in preservation, number 105 (BWS
105L), we decided instead to cannibalise the bus for spare parts which is the
process which is ongoing. We understand the engine in the bus is in particular
good condition and it may therefore be a useful spare for 1700 should there be a
need to replace the engine. Consequently 111 was donated to us by Jason Hartley
with effect from 1st January 2006.

Over the years whilst
we have restored Standard ex-SELNEC/GMT Atleanteans and Fleetlines depicting
both Northern Counties and Park Royal bodywork and gone on to restore ex-SELNEC/Cheshire
VR (408 - AJA 408L), two Metrobuses, conventional MCW Metrobus 5001 (GBU 1V) and
coach seated Northern Counties bodied Metrobus 5320 (D320 LNB) along with two
open toppers 7032 and 7077, Olympian 3001 (ANA 1Y), Leyland National 105
(HNB24N) and even Dennis Domino 1751 (C751 YBA), we had not made any attempt to
restore one of the Seddon Minibuses despite the fact that we have five of them
(1700, 1711, 1733, 1735, 1737).

The latter four Seddon
Minibuses 1711, 1733, 1735 and 1737 all depict the conventional body designed
for them by SELNEC/GMT; having large windows, twin rear axles and 24 volt
electrical circuits. Also the Museum of Transport has restored one of this batch
being 1722 (XVU 352M) into the orange and white minibus livery used by GMT on
the Pic-Vic Centreline Service. Therefore, if we were to restore one of our five
Seddon Minibuses our attention clearly had to centre on 1700, the first of the
batch, bearing in mind we have owned it for nearly 17 years, having acquired it
on 1st July 1989. There were a number of reasons why this would make an
excellent choice of the first pf our five Seddon Minibuses to restore and why we
concentrated on it. Not only is it the one we have had the longest, but in
keeping with our rectification of firsts and lasts of relevant batches of
vehicles, it was the first of the 43 Seddon Minibuses delivered to SELNEC/GMT.
In addition it and its counterparts 1701 to 1703 were delivered in the original
Seddon style with small windows, single rear axles and 12 volt electrical
systems. They were originally delivered as EX56 to EX59, although for a time
EX59 ran as 6059 before eventually becoming 1703. Unfortunately, 1700 (EX56) was
not the vehicle chosen for the Commercial Motor Show in September 1972 for the
Seddon Stand, that was EX58 (1702) but still 1700 represents a significantly
different variation to all but three of the other vehicles in the batch. It also
was delivered in SELNEC orange, white and orange livery used prior to the
vehicles starting, with 1715 that were used on the Centreline Pic-Vic route in a
half orange/half white livery designed for that purpose. 1700 also carried a
green Southern SELNEC flash which is not a symbol that is depicted on any other
of our other restorations (other than promotional vehicle 7232) which featured
the other flashes as follows:

Orange SELNEC
flash

EX1 (PNF 941J)

Blue Central flash

7206 (VNB 177L)

Red Northern flash

7185 (WWH 43L)

Brown Cheshire
flash

408 (AJA 408L)

By choosing 1700 as the Seddon Minibus
to restore we reflect the first of a relevant batch, the rare original Seddon
design, the SELNEC Sunglow Orange and Mancunian White colour scheme and it will
complete the set of vehicles restored by reflecting the Green Southern flash.
Also this bus was one of the few Seddon Minibuses that depicted the high backed
orange moquette dual purposed coach style seats.

Consequently having
selected this vehicle for rectification during 2006 the first task was to have
it fully examined and attended to mechanically as it is the only vehicle we have
ever secured (which totals over 70 including spares) that has never actually
been run or driven now that this problem has recently been overcome with the
Leyland Lynx 501 (D501 LNA). We were also conscious that the vehicle since we
acquired it some 17 years ago has been stored in a number of places, outside in
Scotland for some time, and outside in Altrincham before being moved to internal
storage first of all in Leigh and then in Wigan. It was therefore towed on
Friday 3rd March 2006 from our premises in Wigan to Whittakers Coach Travel in
Penwortham where a full assessment of the vehicle and full mechanical and
bodywork restoration were undertaken. Within the first fortnight the radiator
had been taken off, sent away for repair and returned; the driver's seat had
been sent away for re-covering and returned; a new exhaust tailpipe was fitted;
the fuel talk was sent away for rectification and returned and the whole of the
bus had all it's lower skirt panels replaced with new aluminium sheets cut
specifically for the purpose.

Some of the other panels
which were dented were filled and sanded down and the front end had a lot of
damaged fibreglass work painstakingly repaired, filled and sanded to bring back
the correct profile. Missing filler strips from several of the windows was
sourced and fitted and the vehicle was then put on the High Weamers for
mechanical inspection. This involved freeing off the jammed footbrake and
handbrake and replacing the two rear brake activator units and all diaphragms.
Whilst this work was being undertaken the chassis was steam cleaned and sprayed
in anti-corrosive grey paint. Also whilst the mechanical work was being
undertaken the vehicle was fully sanded down in preparation for re-painting
which commenced with undercoat in white and orange on Tuesday 28th March 2006.

New and original wing
mirrors and arms, front, side and rear lights, wiper arms and wiper blades had
been secured as had a new number blinds and a full set of vinyls, including the
green Southern flash, legal lettering and all other vinyls which were identified
from photographs including matching the Seddon style wording at the front of the
emergency engine stop and the battery isolation switch.

The steering wheel was
sent away for re-covering and was sent back in all over white which was the
design depicted by 1702 and looks quite striking, making this original Seddon
style design minibus distinctive along with its SELNEC orange and white livery.

Ribblesdale Electrics were
called in to test all electrical systems on the bus which involved replacing the
fuse box and two new tyres were sourced and fitted. A considerable number of air
pipes underneath the vehicle had to be replaced having blown once the vehicle
had been started and run with its new radiator and fuel tank in place.
Repainting on the vehicle was concluded by Sunday 23rd April 2006 but there was
still mechanical work to be undertaken and this was all but finalised except for
a few small snagging jobs by Saturday 6th May 2006 when the vehicle passed its
Class V MOT, which was the first MOT it has been subjected to for well over 20
years. The vehicle was returned to Whittakers Coach Travel in Penwortham for a
few final jobs to be undertaken before being collected and returned to our
premises in Wigan on Saturday 3rd June 2006.

We have reproduced below
the work undertaken on 1700 at Whittakers Coach Travel, which has been
substantial because it had been kept outside once coming out of service in
Strathclyde and then stored for many years in poor conditions.

Fuel Tank overhaul -
removed and replace;

overhaul straps and
make secure;

replaced damaged fuel
piping to lift pump;

bleed fuel system;

run engine - overhaul
injectors;

service - fuel, oil
and air filters

belts;

overhaul alternator -
refit to bus;

overhaul water
radiator - clean, check and refit to bus;

replace hoses and part
of the heater hose system;

foot brake - remove,
overhaul and replace;

handbrake valve -
remove, overhaul and replace;

actuator x 2;

door control - remove,
free off and replace (slight air leak);

replace all four
tyres;

steam clean;

paint and spray
chassis;

bodywork - replace
lower panels and make up battery boxes;

brake shoes - check,
free and adjust;

brake chambers -
leaking, replace actuator units and diaphragm;

overhaul brake hoses
to rear axle;

numerous brake pipes
replaced;

chassis prep for new
brake pipe fittings;

headlamps - both
replaced and adjusted;

exhaust - manufacture
exhaust to fit piping;

welding;

grease chassis,
steering, springs, etc;

steering wheel
re-covered;

Ribblesdale Auto -
overhaul ignition system, etc;

making up pipes;

oil pressure gauge.

Because of the return of
1700 to our premises in Wigan we decided to split the working days between Wigan
and Leigh leading up to the Trans-Lancs Historical Vehicle Rally on 3rd
September 2006. This was so that work could continue principally bringing up to
appropriate condition the inside of 1700, undertaking a bit of snagging work on
1751 at Wigan, whilst taking care of rectification items and further work on
7960 at Leigh.

In this respect on Sunday
2nd July 2006 a party of members was despatched to our Wigan premises to
commence the internal rectification work on 1700 this requiring all the
aluminium frames on the windows to be cleaned along with the glass, all the
melamine to be cleaned and all aluminium surfaces to be sanded down and painted.
The seat frames needed sanding down, red oxiding and painting black. The whole
of the cab area needed considerable attention and surfaces needed painting in
black and white. Externally new wing morrors and chrome windscreen wipers were
fitted along with new side indicator units. Also on 2nd July 2006 Chem-Dry
visited to give all the original dual purpose orange moquette/PVC trim seats a
thorough clean. The full set of external vinyls made for 1700, most of which are
in SELNEC style with two in Seddon style were fitted to the bus on this day.
Further progress was made on subsequent working days to all the necessary
internal rectification. Route number blinds were fitted and on Sunday 20th
August 2006 member Greg Taylor fitted a temporary destination display from
artwork made in the correct typeface. Some internal transfers were also fitted
on this day.

Final snagging work took
place over the Bank Holiday weekend of Saturday to Monday 26th-28th August 2006,
and 1700 was launched as a new restoration at the Trans-Lancs Historic Vehicle
Rally from Museum of Transport to Heaton Park on Sunday 3rd September 2006.